1. Technical Field
Several aspects of the present invention relate to a fluid transport apparatus, a method for controlling the same, and a chemical synthesis apparatus.
2. Related Art
In the related art, for example, a micro-reactor has been used as an apparatus that performs a chemical reaction by mixing a plurality of fluids such as samples or reagents in a space of which one side is several centimeters or less. As a simple micro-reactor, there is a case where a channel is formed by carving a very small groove into a T shape on a plate. The channel includes two inflow paths into which two reagents are respectively introduced, and one outflow path, in which the reagents that are respectively introduced into the two inflow paths join with each other, and are guided to the outflow path. Each reagent is delivered to the inflow path by a pump which is driven by a piezoelectric element or the like. As such a pump using the piezoelectric element, for example, there is a case disclosed in JP-A-2011-122858. JP-A-2011-122858 discloses a chemical analysis chip in which a pump chamber formed in a channel of a fluid is divided into three circular areas along the channel, and a piezoelectric element of a thin film is disposed in each of the circular areas. In the chemical analysis chip, three circular areas of the pump chamber are respectively contracted in sequence along the channel by curving the piezoelectric element in a thickness direction. In this manner, the fluid is transported by transferring the fluid one after another in each area.
In such a configuration of JP-A-2011-122858, since three circular areas of the pump chamber are contracted in sequence along the channel by the piezoelectric element, pulsation may occur in the fluid. As the pulsation of the fluid is large, accuracy in flow rate control of the fluid may be lowered. In this regard, JP-A-2011-122858 discloses that by making the piezoelectric element driving the pump into a thin film, a resonance frequency is enhanced in comparison with a case where the piezoelectric element of a thick film is used, thereby suppressing the pulsation of the fluid due to the pump. However, as described above, in the configuration of JP-A-2011-122858, since the piezoelectric elements are respectively driven in sequence so as to transfer the fluid in sequence of three circular areas, in the same manner as a case where a plurality of pumps are disposed side by side and are driven in sequence, it is not possible to suppress even the pulsation of the fluid due to displacement in an amplitude direction (thickness direction) of each piezoelectric element.